Paramedic dies of Mers coronavirus infection in UAE

Abu Dhabi, April 11 (IANS/WAM) A paramedic in the UAE has died after contacting Mers coronavirus and five others with the infection have been placed in quarantine, the interior ministry said Friday.

The five paramedics were found infected with the virus after a routine check-up, an interior ministry statement said, adding that authorities have contacted the people who were treated by the infected health workers for a precautionary check.

The ministry emphasised transparency in all news related to safety and security of the people.

Earlier, the emergency unit at King Fahad Hospital in Jeddah was closed as a precautionary measure amid reports that several people fell ill with Mers coronavirus.

Middle East respiratory syndrome (Mers) coronavirus is viral respiratory illness first reported in Saudi Arabia in 2012. Many people who have been confirmed to have MERS-CoV infection developed severe acute respiratory illness and died.